The invention provides a backpack (10) and cooperating waist bag (100) carrying system. In one embodiment the backpack has a lower or lumbar region below the bag portion of the backpack that releasably contains the receiver of the waist bag when the belt of the waist bag is secured around the bearer's waist and the backpack is worn on the bearer's back. The receiver of the waist bag can be moved without having to take off the backpack so that the receiver of the waist bag is disposed to the bearer's front and the bearer can gain access to the contents of the receiver. The bearer can then move the receiver back to the lower region of the backpack and the combination of the backpack and the waist bag then will appear to be a normal backpack with a waist belt. While moving the receiver, the waist bag remains operatively connected to the backpack.